So my first week in the field was a blast! I flew out on Monday and we flew into Dallas first. There was a huge mess with planes breaking down and delays and ended up flying into Lubbock 4 hours late! We got to the mission office, ate some delicious Texas barbecue and then I spent the night in the mission home.
The next morning they told us our areas and companions! So I'm in Roswell, where there are alien statues and signs on literally every corner. My companion is Elder Alvey and he's the goat haha he's tons of fun. There's tons of wild people here and the area is crazy. They even told me to be careful wearing CTR rings because their is a big gang here called Crazy Town Roswell so ctr is their thing haha. I've seen seen a few times they're kinda sick haha.
So the first day we kinda just got settled in and I had some meetings. And I'm a SMS (social media specialist) so I have to help make big videos for our mission Facebook pages and my comp and I track the success of our pages posts and have to look for ways to make the pages and videos more successful and what not.
So turns out I love street contacting it's been my favorite part so far. The very first night we met a guy named James and it was such a cool and also wacky experience. So first off, he's done in 26 years in prison and I'm pretty sure he's killed 13 people and he's part of some Mexican Mafia as he called it. But he told us that he's been going through the hardest part of his life, and all the sudden I see you guys at my fence. He thought we were cops at first because he had just hid from the cops like 2 days before haha. So if I'm exposing you James I'm so sorry haha but he doesn't have a phone anyway. Also, during his lesson one of his neighbors came over and told us he wrote the New Testament and that Jesus and his 12 disciples lived with him, and that Iron Man is the new God so that's cool haha. Anyway we had a really cool talk about Christ, and he was worried that he's "too far gone" for christ to love him. So to share with him some scriptures and what we know to he true about christ and watch it change his night was such a cool experience! We're trying to meet with him again but it's hard to find him cut he doesn't have a phone.
Next guy we met was Gonzalo! He's such a good dude, has a family and has tried a few different churches but hasn't liked any. He was super open with us and he accepted the book of mormon and said he'd read it and that he was interested in taking his family to our church! He went camping this weekend so we didn't get to talk with him but hopefully we make contact this week!
So we also had a lesson with a guy named Gabriel. He's a super super nice guy but he knows the Bible very very very well and he believes that the book of Mormon is not necessary and has all these scriptures to back himself up. So now I'm studying a lot more of the Bible haha because everyone down here knows it and I need to know it better. But Gabriel took our book of Mormon and said he'd give it another try! So we'll see!
Then we made contact with a whole family just last night! We started to talking to the mom and the kids because they were outside and the kids asked me and Elder Alvey to play basketball with them. So we did, and Alvey ooped it to me and I broke the backboard haha. It was already broken and jerry-rigged with wire and wood so we just put it back together haha. Then we talked to the mom and kids and their Gma showed up and turns out they have an awesome testimony of prayer, and pray as a family all the time. They're open to all types of religion and gladly accepted the book of Mormon! We're gonna go back and read it and the Bible with them on Tuesday!
Oh and church was nuts. We had a non member couple show up which was so cool! We call him "The Winter Soldier" because he's been on date for baptism like 3 or 4 times and then just ghosts and disappears and we can't find him. Then he'll just show up randomly. Anyway he showed up and sacrament was about the atonement and it was awesome! We only have about 9 or 10 people on average so it's a very personal sacrament haha. Anyway the second hour was about the word of wisdom and let's just say he didn't agree with everything that was said haha. So he almost went all Winter Soldier on everyone but the members were great and helped and were talking with him and now he's in contact with us again!
So overall I love this place so far! My district is awesome and we do a lot of things with them too. The ward members are awesome and we're treated so well!! I mean treated well by the ward, everyone else sorta hates us haha. But that's okay! The people here are crazy and I love it haha it's a fun place to live. This past week I've grown so much closer to our Savior! I've already learned so much but still have so much more to learn. I know he lives and loves us all. And I know that all he wants from us is our heart. Which means our effort, focus, and intentions. I know he's waiting for all of us with open arms and if we put our trust in him he will lift us up! I love you all so much! Until next time from Alien City!
Love, Elder Ryan
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